preview of Liverpool vs. Union SG: Prediction, team news, and lineups.

Liverpool welcomes Union SG to Anfield for a Europa League group-stage matchup on Thursday night as they look to rebound from their contentious Premier League loss the previous weekend.

After defeating LASK Linz 3-1 in gameweek one, the Reds are currently in first place in Group E, while their Belgian counterparts drew 1-1 with Toulouse in their opening group match.

Match preview 

Liverpool’s 17-game unbeaten streak in the Premier League came to an end in dramatic and contentious circumstances on Saturday when they lost 2-1 at Tottenham Hotspur, their first loss in any competition since April 1.

Just 10 minutes prior to Curtis Jones being controversially dismissed for a late challenge following a VAR review, Luis Diaz had a first-half goal incorrectly disallowed by VAR due to a “significant human error.

As soon as Diogo Jota received his second yellow card of the second half, the Reds were reduced to nine men, and Joel Matip’s own goal in the 96th minute added insult to injury for Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp expressed his displeasure with the officials after the game, and Liverpool, who have dropped to fourth in the top-flight table, have since issued a strong statement asserting that “sporting integrity has been undermined,” and they intend to “explore the range of options” in an effort to resolve the situation.

Liverpool will look to turn their frowns upside down when they resume their Europa League group-stage campaign on Thursday with a first-ever match against Union SG, and they will undoubtedly appreciate a midweek return to Anfield in the midst of the ongoing VAR controversy in the Premier League.

In fact, the Reds have won each of their last seven group-stage matches in UEFA competition and 15 of their last 21 home Europa League games.
They have also lost just one of their previous 15 matches against Belgian teams, a 3-1 loss to Anderlecht in the 1978 European Super Cup.

In their opening Group E match against Toulouse two weeks ago, Union SG, which is participating in the Europa League group stage for the second consecutive season, managed to salvage a point at home.

The French guests took the lead at halftime thanks to Thijs Dallinga, but Mohamed Amoura, who came off the bench as a substitute, scored Union SG’s equalizer in the 69th minute to put them back in the game.
Amoura has now scored four goals in as many games.

Since then, Alexander Blessin’s team has won three straight Belgian Pro League games, most recently last weekend’s 3-1 home victory over Charleroi to help the Saint-Gilles-based club maintain their position at the top of the table, albeit on goal differential after six games.

In their first Europa League campaign in 2022–2023, Union SG advanced to the quarterfinals after winning their group.
This term, finishing above Liverpool at the top of Group E seems difficult, so securing second place ahead of Toulouse and LASK Linz is a reasonable goal for Blessin and company.

Having won all five of their away games in the previous season’s Europa League, Les Unionistes enter Thursday’s match hoping to avoid defeat at Anfield and become the first Belgian club to do so.

The only other time Union SG faced English opposition was in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1958–1960, when they played Birmingham City and lost both legs.

Cody Gakpo, a forward for Liverpool, will miss several weeks due to a knee injury he sustained after scoring a first-half equalizer against Spurs last weekend, while Stefan Bajcetic (calf) and Thiago Alcantara (hip) are still receiving treatment.

Alisson Becker is expected to be replaced in goal by Caoimhin Kelleher, and Joe Gomez and Kostas Tsimikas may start at fullback with Trent Alexander-Arnold coming on as a substitute having just recently recovered from a hamstring injury.
Klopp is also expected to change up his starting lineup.

Darwin Nunez, who has directly contributed to eight goals (six goals and two assists) in as many Europa League games, is the most likely candidate to replace the injured Gakpo up front, though Jota, Ryan Gravenberch, Wataru Endo, and Harvey Elliott will all be vying for a spot after coming on as substitutes last weekend.

The only injury concern for Union SG is with their star striker Dennis Eckert Ayensa, who has missed the last four games with a knock and will be evaluated before Thursday’s match.
The Spaniard has seven goals in eight games so far this season.

Gustaf Nilsson will likely start at the front of the line in Ayensa’s possible absence, with Amoura, Cameron Puertas, and Lazare Amani all vying for a spot in the starting lineup in the second half.

Kevin Mac Allister, a Boca Juniors loanee and the brother of Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, is anticipated to start in a back three alongside Fedde Leysen and former Portsmouth defenders Christian Burgess, with Alessio Castro-Montes and Loic Lapoussin possibly being recalled to start on the flanks.

Liverpool’s potential starting lineup 

Kelleher, Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Gravenberch, Elliott, Endo, Salah, Nunez, and Jota.

Potential starting lineup for the Union SG

Morris, Mac Allister, Burgess, Leysen, Castro-Montes, Sadiki, Vanhoutte, Lapoussin, Amani, Nilsson, and Puertas.

Prediction

We say: Liverpool 3-1 Union SG.

Union SG’s strong road record bodes well for their trip to Anfield, and they will be confident of scoring given that Liverpool has given up goals in 10 of their last 11 games across all competitions.

Even if Klopp decides to rest a few important players, Liverpool should ultimately be too good for the Belgian guests, and the Reds should have little trouble securing all three points to keep their perfect record in Group E.